Pianist, Composer, Bandleader, Vocalist

Pianist and composer Nelda Swiggett has been a vibrant force in the Pacific Northwest jazz scene since the early‬ 1990s. Her compositions blend jazz with Afro-Cuban, gospel and classical influences, creating a distinctive and‬ engaging sound. Swiggett’s ensembles, including her trio, quintet, and sextet, have graced stages at Dimitriou’s‬‭ Jazz Alley, Bumbershoot, and the Earshot Jazz Festival. She is an award-winning composer and OA2 recording‬ artist. Her five album releases have received rave reviews and extensive airplay around the globe.‬ Nelda’s big band arrangements of her original music have been performed by Seattle’s nationally recognized Garfield High School Jazz Band, the Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra, and others. Nelda currently co-leads Clif & Nelda’s Little Big Band with her trombonist husband, Clif Swiggett; composes for the Megabopolis sextet; and performs “For the Birds” — live music, images and poetry invite reflection on our changing climate — with the Nelda Swiggett Quintet.  She is also in demand as a solo pianist, side woman and jazz educator.